Residents told to stay vigilant over burglary threat

People living on Reedsmere Close in Newtown were shocked to find the man trying to get through the gates shutting off access to the backs of the terraced houses just before 3am on Sunday morning.

Adam Garnett, who lives in the end terrace next to the gates, was startled by the loud rattling and challenged the man, who immediately fled on a mountain bike.

Police officers could find no trace of the man at the scene but urged anyone who knew anything about the incident to get in touch.

Adam, 28, said the incident on February 5 was worrying and he was going to beef up security around his home.

He said: “I’d come home about 1am and must have fallen asleep on the sofa because I woke up at about 2.30am and put the TV on.

“Whenever anyone opens or shuts the gate it rattles through the house. I heard some banging at first, looked out and saw a mountain bike at the front of the garden. I went to the door and a bloke was stood there at the gates. I couldn’t tell if he was just rattling them or trying to climb over.

“I opened the door and he panicked and ran back to his bike. I asked him what he was doing and he said ‘nothing’, and by the time I had grabbed my phone he had shot off.

“It’s a quiet street and there’s no reason for anybody who doesn’t live here to go there. I’m going to secure the back of the terrace.”

The man is described as fairly stocky and dressed all in black, probably with a hood up. The mountain bike was white with black writing on it.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed they were called to reports of a man acting suspiciously just after 2.50am on Sunday. Officers went to the scene but could not find him.

Anyone with information should ring 101, quoting reference number 323 for February 5.